In an extract from his new book, The Fair And The Foul, David Hill examines the unrivalled strength of Australia’s indigenous football code

On every measure – crowds, financial strength, TV rights money, and sponsorship – the AFL is winning the battle of the Australian football codes and pulling further away from its rivals. In 2015, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Sports, teaming with Seven West Media and Telstra, secured the rights to broadcast the AFL.

At a press conference announcing the six-year, record $2.5bn deal, the media magnate made his feelings clear about the appeal of league compared with Australian rules football. “We’ve always preferred Aussie rules and we’ve always believed this is the premium code in Australia.”